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IAR or CCS? which one is easier for beginner?

Gebremedhin Abreha
Prodigy 235 points
Other Parts Discussed in Thread: CC1100

I am new to programming MSP430 and wondering which development tool should I use: IAR or CCS. What is the difference between these two development tools and which one is better for begginers? I have just received  the new Ti FET430F6137RF900 which integrates a MSP430 with a CC1101. Which development tool is easier to use to program FET430F6137RF900? Is the full version of IAR code size limitted?

Thank you in advance

Gebre

  • 0
    Guru 192875 points

    Hi,

    For me its always been CCS, but then to be true that depends on the user and his perspective.

    Regards,

    Gautam

  • 0
    Guru 20525 points

    Hi Gebre!

    I think it is unlikely that at CCS forum you will get some other offers besides CCS. On other hand I promise you a good support here at least.

    Regards,

    Igor

  • 0
    TI__Guru*** 130875 points

    Hi Gebre,

    welcome to CCS and this forum as well.

    You ask a good question, and acutally coming from a radio/msp background I have experience myself with both.

    I would say in general these are what I have found to be some of the advantages and disadvantages of the two tools

    IAR

    - much more expensive

    - more efficient compiler 

    - fairly easy to use with training available

    CCS

    - very cost effective

    - easy to use (especially if you are from an eclipse background)

    - training is available as well :  )

    - one downside is that some radio protocols (ie BLE, Bluetooth, Zigbee) are only supported in IAR.  You are using a CC1100 so I suspect this may not affect you as almost all protocols with third party software for IAR is in the 2.5GHz band 

    Does this help?  I would recommend taking a look here:

    http://processors.wiki.ti.com/index.php/Category:CCS_Training

    Some of the videos/guides/tutorials may give you a flavour of what ccs is.

    Best Regards,

    Lisa

  • 0 in reply to Lisa TI
    Prodigy 235 points

    Thank you Lisa, for the useful information. I will have a look to the link you have recommended.

    but is the full version IAR code size limitted? I already know that the free version IAR compiler is code size limited (it is not possible to compile more than 4kB (or 8KB) of source code with the free version of the IAR Devt tool). I am not sure if the full version have code size restrictions too.

  • 0 in reply to Gebremedhin Abreha
    TI__Guru*** 130875 points

    Hi Gebremedhin,

    no the fully license tool in both cases has no code size limit, but of course the code must fit on the device.

    CCS also offers a code size limted ccs version!   (In this case the limit is 16kB)

    Best Regards,
    Lisa 

  • 0 in reply to Lisa TI
    TI__Guru*** 130875 points

    Note the ccs code size limited ccs tool for the msp430 is also free.

    Best Regards,
    Lisa